River of Dreams
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas orders Gail to enlist help to deal with her strange behaviour of late.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Shadow.

It was a stormy Spring evening in Trinity South Carolina. The weather had taken an unexpected turn recently, making it was getting harder for the residents to predict and keep to their usual routines.

Caleb Temple was not afraid of strong winds and rain, so he continued speeding down the deserted streets on his bicycle with his friend Rose. The sun had already set and he knew that it was getting late, they had already been scolded by Rose's mother for hanging out past her curfew; however, the children were having fun enjoying each others company and they did not care about the time.

Caleb peddled fast and welcomed the cool rain on his skin, letting out a loud playful howl when the wind crashed around them. It had been a long time since he had truly been able to let go in front of his friends and he was happy for his present.

'My mother's gonna hang me when I turn up lookin' like a drowned rat!' Rose shouted, to ensure she was heard over the loud wind.

Caleb slowed down slightly at Rose's comment and turned towards her, to see if she was truly mad at him for keeping her out in this extreme weather. When she pulled a tongue at him and playfully slapped his cheek as she rode past, Caleb laughed excitedly and peddled faster to catch up to her.

The excitement that surged through them at being out when the adults did not dare too was immense and they felt as though they owned the Town, even just for a moment. They continued to speed down the streets, oblivious to the scolding looks from residents who caught sight of them through a window when they were tucked up safely inside their homes. If anyone wanted to challenge them, they would have to brave the weather; however, no one appeared willing to leave their homes and this only added to the children's confidence in themselves.

Caleb had been holding back, ensuring he kept on an even pace with Rose; however, he sensed her trying to beat him and a wave of competitiveness surged through him. Caleb steered off the pavement and peddled hard onto the road, he ignored the odd car that passed him which beeped it's horn at the unexpected sight of the children out in this weather and continued to peddle strong.

Rose picked up her pace, not accepting being beaten by a boy and raced up to him quickly. Caleb was good; however, she was able to keep up the fast pace for longer and smiled when his stamina appeared to lessen. 'I'm gonna catch you Caleb Temple!' she called excitedly, ignoring the street signs that they past and focused on gaining the lead.

'You and what army Rose?' Caleb shouted sarcastically and turned around to ascertain how close she was to him.

Suddenly he felt the strong impact of his bicycle crashing into something stationary and went flying up into the air. Caleb glanced down curiously at the obstacle that he had hit and cursed to himself when he saw the dented blood red Mustang beneath him.

'Caleb!' Rose screamed scared, when she saw him catapult into the air and squeezed the breaks on her bicycle.

As he flew through the air, Caleb was not concerned about the impact of hitting the ground, he was worried about how Gail would react to the large dent that was clearing visible on her car. He had started to regard Gail as his new mother, which was not hard as he had never known his biological; however, he was not convinced that their bond would withstand her undeniable love for her Mustang.

When he came crashing down to the sidewalk at an awkward angle, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, waiting for the impact to finally happen and hoped that Gail would not be too mad at him.

Lucas had pulled into his driveway and just gotten out of his navy blue Crown Victoria, when he heard the loud crash of metal behind him. He had requested for Gail to leave her car on the sidewalk as it would be harder for her to navigate out of the driveway in this weather, due to the length of her beloved Mustang. When he heard the loud crash, he knew he was in for a world of pain and closed his eyes irritation.

He sensed Gail at the window instantly and was about to let out an exasperated breath in anticipation of a scolding from her, when he caught the look of horror in her eyes and turned towards the accident. Lucas saw Caleb propelled over the car and released his twin instinctively, to project himself to the boy and grabbed him just before he hit the floor.

Caleb felt himself being pulled by strong arms and opened his eyes to see Lucas holding him protectively. He glanced towards Rose and saw his crumpled bicycle laying on the road next to Gail's dented car. 'You shoulda just let me fall, she's gonna kill me anyway' Caleb said in a disappointed tone and cursed himself for not being aware of his surroundings.

Lucas felt the adrenaline flow through him and his heart pounding in his chest, at the close call they had just avoided. He stared at his eldest in disbelief of what had just happened, then let out a loud laugh at his comment. 'We're both gonna get get a hidin' for this son, at least you're in good company' Lucas joked, not having the heart to scold Caleb when he clearly already understood what he had done.

Rose rushed up to Caleb and gave him a long hug, unable to help herself. She had truly thought his head was going to be crushed on the sidewalk and the relief she felt when the Sheriff caught him was overwhelming.

Lucas let go of Caleb and smiled as the boy experienced his first proper connection with a girl. It appeared that his son was finally growing up and he was proud of how he was handling himself.

'I hate to interrupt your tender moment, but you all better get inside now' Gail ordered sternly in an angry tone, as she stood at the open front door with her arms crossed over her chest.

Caleb released Rose and stared at her apologetically for ruining their evening.

Rose smiled reassuringly and went to pick up her bicycle to ride home; however, she felt a strong hand close around her arm.

'My love said all of us Darlin', you don't get outta this that easy' Lucas smirked and led Rose inside with Caleb.

Rose rushed to Caleb's side as they were ushered inside the large Mansion and attempted not to gape at the extravagant property. She had dreamt of being privileged enough to be invited in here, after she had explored the large garden of the property previously; however, she could never have prepared herself for the beauty that the inside of this property held.

Lucas watched Rose carefully, not usually allowing his townsfolk in here and smiled when he caught her transfixed with their home. He was proud of his property and supposed he should welcome his efforts being showed off once in a while. 'Different to what you imagined?' he whispered in her ear and took off her wet coat gentlemanly.

Rose inhaled deeply at his closeness and giggled nervously when he smiled down at her charmingly. 'I didn't know what to expect, this place is a castle' she said in awe.

'I wouldn't go that far' Lucas laughed, amused at her bewilderment and ushered her through the entrance hall to the main Study, where Caleb had already obediently gathered.

Caleb knew better than to hide from a scolding; therefore, he had quickly found his way to Gail and was sat on the large grandfather chair in front of the fireplace, while Gail knelt down beside him and held his arm gently. When Rose entered with Lucas behind her, he automatically lifted up his injured arm to wave at her and felt a sharp bolt of pain surge through it.

'That was smart' Gail said flatly as she examined his arm, then reached down to the bowl of cold water she had fetched from the kitchen and gently placed a cold wet compress on his arm.

'Ow!' Caleb snapped and held in his tears, in an attempt to remain brave.

Gail was furious at his lack of judgement for being out in this weather, she had attempted to locate him earlier; however, Caleb never remained in one spot for long and she had hoped he would have the sense to return home. She had not foreseen this accident happening and wanted to scream at him for his stupidity, but when she saw him hold back his tears her fury was replaced with concern. 'You're alright, this'll help' she reassured him and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, then stroked his cheek lovingly.

Caleb had thought Gail was going to yell at him, she never actually had before but he had never done anything this stupid and he was prepared for an angry response. When she kissed his forehead, he had not been prepared for her understanding and the tears began to fall. 'I'm sorry...' he started to apologise.

'Shhhh' she whispered reassuringly, then gently pulled him to her and hugged him to her chest. 'I think it's broken' she advised Lucas, unimpressed with his suggestion to leave her car in the road; however, choosing not to act on her anger right now.

Lucas watched the pair closely and felt his anger rising when he realised that his son was really hurt. 'You wanna gain control of your emotions so I can take him to the hospital?' he asked accusingly, deep down knowing the unpredictable weather was likely down to her unexpected moods of late.

Gail regarded him coldly for a moment, then remembered that they had an unexpected guest and forced her features to soften. 'Why don't you use your initiative and take a run down to visit my other cousin soulmate? Odd's are the Doctor she's shacking up with may be of some assistance right now' she said bluntly, attempting to not get annoyed at his lack of common sense.

Lucas inhaled deeply to push down his anger at how she was regarding him. He acknowledged that she had not been herself lately and thankfully there had been no more incidents of her trying to smother him in his sleep, or choke him when they were intimate; however, he would happily take her homicidal urges above her lack of respect for his intelligence. 'Yes Dear, of course Dear...right away Dear' he said in a calm sarcastic tone, then left the Study to brave driving in the treacherous weather once again.

* * *

Merlyn entered the Dining Room carrying a large tray full of food and placed it down on the table, before lighting two candles that she had put out to set a romantic mood. She had wanted to surprise Matt due to the long hours they had both been working lately and had taken advantage of their evening off together.

Matt smiled at her affectionately when she placed down the tray and sat on the opposite of the table. 'This is too much' he advised, surveying the amount of food that she had cooked and not knowing where to start.

'You'd rather us get takeaway?' Merlyn asked quietly, unsure whether he disliked her cooking or was getting at the amount of effort she had put in.

Matt sensed her nervousness and reached across the table to take her hand in his. 'I'd rather you relaxed with how much you've taken on recently' he explained, then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

Merlyn smiled warmly at him and inhaled deeply when he ran his lips over her fingers. 'Gail wants me to succeed, I can't let her down' she shrugged, then licked her lips when he stared into her eyes seductively.

'Gail's working you far too hard and needs to ease up, especially with your lack of experience' he advised concerned, then placed her finger into his mouth and began to suck it teasingly.

'I believe you need to heed your own advice Harvard, it appears no-ones workin' her harder than you' Lucas interjected, as he leaned casually against the wall and smiled at what he had walked in on.

Merlyn pulled her hand free and shot Lucas an irritated look. 'That's strange, I could've sworn I locked the front door' she scolded disapprovingly and regarded Lucas suspiciously.

Lucas let out a small laugh then turned his attention to Matt, who had gotten up from the table and was pacing the room anxiously. 'I didn't interrupt much, did I Doc'?' he asked, watching Matt amused.

Matt could feel his anger rising at his girlfriends apparent acceptance of this man intruding on their date. He did not know what Lucas did to sway women to his way; however, his old hatred for the man was resurfacing. 'Get out' Matt ordered abruptly, not caring about how he came across.

'Oh now why would I do that when you're pretty little Missy seems more than accepting of my presence?' Lucas mocked and shot Merlyn a playful wink.

'You're a parasite who preys on women...is it you hate them so much that you want to ruin everything they have? Or do you actually get off on hurting them?' Matt asked angrily, unable to control his feelings.

'Only when they hurt me back' Lucas laughed and approached Matt slowly. 'Why don't you ask your best friend? She know's all too well what I get off on'

Matt shook his head and regarded Lucas with disdain. 'You're disgusting, how you manage to force women to your way and remain in such high standing in this Town is beyond me'

'Oh I don't force anybody Harvard and what I share with my love is fully consensual. Trust me when I tell you she gives much more than what she gets and always begs me for more' Lucas advised smugly, willing Matt to challenge him fully.

Matt wanted nothing more than to punch this ignorant ass in the jaw, like he had done previously; however, that action was unacceptable now that his best friend had married the man and had a child with him. Matt hated what Lucas had forced Gail to become, she still attempted to remain the same person he had connected with when Caleb's tragedy occurred, but she was unable to fully hide her true feelings and he could see how tired she had become.

Merlyn sat frozen at the dining room table, she was unsure of the best course of action to control the men and she was becoming concerned. If she stepped between them Lucas would find a way to bring her into this and carry on his game, if she pleaded for them to stop Matt would realise she was upset and become more angry. She was at a loss at what to do and hated that her family had aligned themselves with Lucas Buck, as it made it harder for her to stand against him.

The sound of the telephone ringing brought her out of her frozen state and she glanced at the men before her. Neither men flinched at the sound and they just continued to square up to each other, clearly trying to show their dominance; therefore, Merlyn got up from behind the table and headed for the cordless telephone in her hallway. When she picked up the telephone, she let out a long sigh of relief as the voice spoke at the other end.

Lucas stared at Matt dominantly, wanting the man to lose control and take the first shot. He was so frustrated with his personal problems at home that he needed a release and this was the safest option for him right now. 'Come on Harvard, hit me...you know you want to and I'll even give you the first shot for free' he goaded, sensing Matt's loathing for him.

Matt inhaled deeply in an attempt to control his urge to punch the man before him; however, he felt himself losing control and raised his hand.

'It's for you' Merlyn advised Lucas in a smug tone and handed him the telephone, before gently taking hold of Matt's hand and leading him towards the window at the other side of the room.

Lucas stared at the telephone suspiciously for a moment, then held it to his ear instinctively. 'Hello?' he asked curiously.

'Did you get distracted from your injured son soulmate?' Gail asked sweetly, with a judging undertone.

'No Dear, I'll be right there Dear' he sighed irritated, then threw the telephone on the table and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

'Problems?' Merlyn mocked sarcastically.

'Get whatever you need, we're heading to my place' Lucas ordered Matt and turned to leave.

Matt laughed in disbelief at his arrogance and pulled his arm free of M. 'What makes you think I'd ever go anywhere with you?' he asked bluntly.

Lucas did not have the patience to deal with the man's defiance when he his son was in pain and although he would never admit it to his her, he was thankful that Gail had reminded him of his priorities. 'Cause my son is injured and I doubt you wanna deal with my love's wrath, let alone mine' Lucas threatened, then left the property and waited for Matt to follow.

* * *

Rose stood silently by the door, hoping to remain unnoticed. She had sensed the tension in the room, it had not subsided when the Sheriff left and now that he had returned with Doctor Crower, she felt even more uncomfortable.

'You think your mother would be impressed with your appearance right now?' Gail asked in a flat tone, sensing the girls desire to remain unnoticed and not taking her eyes off Caleb.

Caleb willed Gail to leave Rose alone and when he turned to his father for assistance, he realised that was not going to happen and slumped down in his chair sulking while Matt bandaged up his arm.

Rose shifted on the spot nervously, not knowing what to say and gave off a small shiver.

'Why were you both even out in this horrible weather anyway?' Merlyn chimed in abruptly, worried for her brother in his injured state.

'They're children and were just having some fun, back off' Matt said calmly, attempting to hide his irritation at the situation and continued to secure Caleb's arm to prevent any further damage.

'I should go' Rose advised quietly and turned to leave the Study.

The wind crashed the heavy rain against the window and Lucas stood in front of Rose, blocking her exit. 'You got a better idea love?' he asked his wife, knowing Gail would have his hide if he allowed her to ride off on her own and not wanting to give her an excuse to direct her anger to him.

'No-ones going anywhere when the weather is getting worse' Gail advised sternly, disregarding Matt's hostile glance and turned her attention to Merlyn. 'Go take her for a shower and find her a room'

Merlyn had not wanted to leave Caleb tonight; therefore, she was happy that her cousin had taken charge so she would not have to argue with Matt and followed her order obediently.

'You may have M wrapped around your finger but not me' Matt advised defiantly, standing up and letting out a long sigh at the situation Caleb had gotten himself in.

Gail regarded him curiously, then laughed at his attempt to appear dominant. She had enough of that from Lucas and would certainly not stand by and allow Matt to take that stance with her now.

'She's right Doc'' Lucas interjected before Gail lost control and did something she would regret, then gently placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. 'It was bad enough gettin' you all back here without an incident, you really wanna risk the neck of that little piece of yours due to your stubborn pride?'

Gail watched as Matt faced Lucas defiantly, then clearly thought better of challenging her husband in his own own and just took Caleb's uninjured arm gently, then led him out of the Study.

'You handled that just like a pro' Gail laughed and shook her head at how easily Matt could have reacted differently to her husbands comment.

'Well, I'm not impressed with the amount of strangers in my home love, but this is your home too and I gathered you already had enough drama for the evening without a fight with your friend' he advised charmingly and stroked her back affectionately.

'Creep' she accused sarcastically and placed a soft kiss on his lips, before picking up Luke and heading upstairs to put him down after their long evening.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

It was a scorching hot summers day and Lucas sat comfortably on a lounge chair in his garden, watching intently as Luke staggered his way around the area. He had purchased a large table and chairs at the suggestion of his love, to enable them to entertain guests should they decide to be more engaged with outside parties; however, he now doubted their decision as he envisioned Luke smacking his head on the corner of the table and causing himself to have a concussion.

Luke squealed as though to deny the accusation and happily carried on attempting to run around the garden. Every time he stumbled over and clumsily pulled himself back up, Lucas smiled proudly at his sons will to succeed. Luke had his mothers sheer stubbornness and would not beaten, no matter how much he fell down. He knew his boy was going to grow into a fine young man one day and he wondered if he would actually challenge Caleb for the right to be heir.

Caleb rushed down the porch steps and placed a freshly baked apple pie on the table, then cut himself a large slice and placed it in his mouth before attempting to pick up Luke after he fell again. Lucas narrowed his eyes at his eldest for a moment, not remembering Caleb's change of attitude towards apple pie; however, when Luke shrieked at the unwanted assistance from Caleb, the thought disappeared and Lucas watched as Luke continued on his path when Caleb left him, leaving the older boy sulking close to a near by tree.

'Oh the joys of having boys' Gail smiled warmly, as she came out of the house in a short cream floral dress and sat on the lounger with him.

Lucas manoeuvred himself so he could place his arms around her securely, then nuzzled his nose into her neck affectionately and inhaled her scent deeply. 'You wouldn't have it any other way' he smiled and kissed her neck softly, then suddenly felt an intrusion on his property and surveyed the garden suspiciously.

A young girl stood by the small statue of a gargoyle, with her hands inside the pockets of her short tartan dress. Her pigtails gave her an innocent quality; however, the grim look on her face was far from pure and he sensed the malice radiating off of her.

'Oh but I could think of another way' Gail said casually, not moving from her entangled position with her husband.

'Huh?' Lucas asked confused, taken aback by the strangely familiar girl who had found her way onto his property uninvited.

Gail got up from her position on the lounger with him and walked around the table slowly. She dipped her finger into the apple pie and placed it into her mouth, then picked up the sharp knife and cut a large piece of the pie.

Lucas was transfixed with the young girl, he could have sworn he had seen her before and it was strange that she was here alone without her parents present. A shadow suddenly crossed over his mind and he sat up. He signalled for the small girl to come to him; however, she just shook her head and smiled sweetly at him.

'There's always another way' Gail advised pleasantly as she handed him a small plate with a piece of apple pie on, then suddenly drove the knife into his throat and took a step back.

Lucas gripped his throat and pulled the knife out, causing blood to gush from his neck. He stared at Gail, betrayed by the one person that he had trusted unconditionally and regarded her with horror as she just watched him bleed out curiously. Lucas tried to stand up; however, he went crashing to the floor and when he took his last breath, the young girl was standing over him with a look of sorrow in her eyes.

Lucas sat up abruptly in his bed and took in a deep breath, as he held his throat protectively. When his focus cleared in the dark and he recognised his bedroom, he let out a sigh of relief and reached out to caress Gail beside him; however, his hand only found the cold spot where she was clearly not resting.

Lucas glanced around the room confused, then his eyes fixed on his love standing at the foot of the bed holding a large knife and he let out an exasperated breath when he saw the vacant look in her eyes. 'Gail?' he whispered, careful not to disturb Luke.

Gail stared at him blankly for a moment, then took a step closer to his side of the bed.

'Put the knife down Gail' he ordered quietly, not having the patience for this at this early hour of the morning.

Gail stared fixedly on him and closed the distance between them, holding the knife up to her chest steadily.

Lucas could see the dark intentions in her eyes and grabbed her wrist tight, removed the knife effortlessly and placed it on the bedside table, then dragged her down onto the bed. He pinned her beneath him, then cupped her jaw in his hands to force her to look deep into his eyes. 'We're not havin' a repeat of this love, come back to me now' he ordered sternly and searched her eyes for some indication that he was getting through to her.

Gail awoke from her haze and stared up a Lucas confused, unsure why he was pinning her down. 'Did I miss my cue?' she joked nervously, then regarded him cautiously when he let out an exasperated laugh.

'You have to be kiddin' me with this' he sighed in disbelief, as he searched her eyes for some recollection of what she was about to do to him and found none.

Gail's wrists began to hurt; however, she disregarded the aching that she felt and focused on her husband, regarding him calmly as though she was the only sane one in the room. 'I can't comment unless you fill me in sweetheart' she advised in a reasonable tone and tried to shake off the feeling of discontent that suddenly came over her.

Lucas was beginning to get frustrated with this innocent act, then sensed the momentary change in her and smiled. 'There we go, I'm not goin' crazy so you can cut out the act and tell me what the hell I've done this time' he ordered frustrated, feeling his patience wearing thin.

Gail had now idea what he was talking about and felt herself become emotional. She forced herself to keep her composure and stared up at him defiantly. 'If you don't change your tone I really will give you something to be mad about, now get off me!' she snapped sternly, not allowing herself to give in to her emotions.

Lucas held her gaze, not willing to back down however, the sound of Luke's quiet voice calling him from his crib broke through his anger and he released Gail, to allow him to check on his son.

Gail watched him attend to their son and shook her head in disbelief at his change in behaviour, then spotted the large knife on the bedside table and felt a knot form in her stomach. She turned to her husband confused, who had picked Luke up and was rocking him gently back to sleep, then had a vision of herself standing over him with the knife and let out a long disappointed sigh.

'This has to stop Gail' Lucas warned quietly, sensing she had finally realised what she had done.

Gail considered his words for a moment, then got out of the bed and began walking out of the room with the top blanket trailing beside her.

'Where are you goin'?' Lucas asked, not finished with her yet.

'I'm sleeping downstairs, for the good of your health' she advised irritated and shot him a stern look of warning to stop him from following her.

* * *

Matt awoke alone in a strange bed and glanced at the old decor of the room through tired eyes. He bolted upright as his mind fully acknowledged the unfamiliar surroundings, then relaxed slightly when he remembered where he had spent the night.

He surveyed the room suspiciously, expecting to see M somewhere close; however, he was definitely alone and the thought of her leaving him here did not play well on his mind. A sudden bark took him out of his thoughts and he put on the robe that Caleb had supplied him with the previous night. He left the bedroom slowly and walked towards the stairs warily, then spotted Rocky at the bottom of the stairs and smiled.

'It's about time you joined the land of the living' Gail called from the kitchen and smiled when she sensed Matt follow the sound of her voice.

This place always made Matt uncomfortable, the way his friend's voice eerily travelled through the many rooms between them did not fill him with a sense of ease and he really did not want to be here. He figured that the best way for him to get out of here quickly was to play along; therefore, he began his task of locating Gail.

As Matt walked slowly through the property, he examined the rooms he came across. In another persons care, this immaculate extravagant building would have his envy and it was hard to deny it's charms; however, this was Lucas Buck's home territory and Matt did not belong here, that fact left a bad taste in his mouth as he moved silently through the large rooms and he did not intend to stay here any longer than absolutely necessary.

Rocky popped his head around a door, then bounded towards Matt and jumped up to lick him. The action made Matt forget about his previous unease and he laughed, envying the dog's simple life.

'I'm glad someone's managed to put a smile on your face, I was worried that frown was going to stick' Gail mocked, as she stood by the open door with Gideon at her feet and signalled for Matt to follow her.

'I smile plenty, just not when I'm forced to stay in a place I'm not welcome' Matt retorted and obediently followed her through the labyrinth that she called home.

Gail sensed his thoughts and laughed, it amused her that he still managed to keep his disdain for Lucas even after she had been with him for so long and his stubbornness matched her own. 'You're always welcome here, you just refuse to accept the way things are and push yourself away' she advised, going to Luke when she reached the main Study and lifting him out of his secure play area.

'Maybe I'm just the only sane one in this nuthouse we call Trinity' Matt sighed, then smiled as Luke clung on to his mother lovingly.

'Maybe you're still in the actual nuthouse and this is all just a figment of your imagination' Lucas said coldly, as he entered from the kitchen holding a mug of coffee and pulled Gail to him possessively.

'Or maybe I've finally snapped and am going to eliminate all the negativity in my life' Gail advised, with a hint of warning in her tone and regarded Lucas disapprovingly.

'It's about time someone cleaned house' Merlyn joked from her spot on the couch, attempting to lighten the mood, then looked back down at her laptop when Gail glanced at her irritated.

Matt spotted Caleb by the fireplace with Rose and forced a warm smile, not wanting to show any conflict in front of the children. 'Right, well, it appears the bad weather's left us for the time being, so it's time for us to leave' he directed towards his girlfriend and waited for her to come to him.

Before Merlyn had a chance to respond, Lucas stepped between them and offered his hand to Merlyn to assist her up. 'Hate to break it to you Doc', but the girl's late for work and I doubt frolickin' around with you at this moment in time is gonna help her build a good professional reputation' Lucas smiled smugly.

Merlyn spotted the angry look on Matt's face, then glanced at Gail for assistance; however, her cousin just rolled her eyes and turned her focus to Luke. 'We ain't gonna frolic, we're just gonna head to work together' she said finally, after realising her cousin was not going to help her.

'You gonna walk all the way to the Trinity Guardian from here when you're already an hour late?' Lucas asked sarcastically, 'Pity 'ol Harvard here ain't allowed to drive, you're just gonna have to jump in with me now ain't you?'

Gail let out a long sigh at her husbands inability to play nice with others and placed Luke gently on the floor next to Gideon. 'And I'm expected to run two children to School late, one of which isn't mine I might add, whilst seeing to two dogs and a toddler?' Gail interjected flatly, unable to keep out of the matter.

After the incident a few hours earlier, Lucas was tired and had no patience for his wife's disobedience. He had been courteous and pleasant in front of their guests; however, he was far from impressed with her. 'You, my love, have an opportunity to explore your new found behaviour with a medical professional who dotes over you...I suggest you take advantage of the situation while I stop off at the Elementary School and explain the two children's absence, one of which isn't yours, and you can perform your duties undisturbed by my ex' he said sarcastically, in an attempt to hide his annoyance with her.

Gail knew Lucas well enough to spot an order rather than a suggestion; therefore, just forced a sweet smile and did not bother challenging him. She had apparently attempted to stab him earlier and Caleb should not be in School today with his injured arm anyway. Rose was clearly still shaken up over the incident and she did not want to return the girl to her mother, until she ensured there would not be any wild tales thrown around. Having Matt around with her today might actually be a blessing, not that she would admit that to Lucas.

Matt was waiting for Gail to stand up for herself and when she did not, he could not hold his tongue any longer. 'How do you get away with treating women with such disrespect? The almighty Lucas Buck, bringing women to heel...Is that what gets you off at night?' he whispered, as he squared up to his adversary and challenged his authority.

Lucas felt a dark presence enter the room at the challenging remark and smiled, his home was filled with unspeakable things and they all served him.

Gail sensed the presence instantly and stood up. She shot Lucas a look of warning; however, he did not appear to be backing down and the presence started to surround them.

Merlyn sensed the concern in her cousin, then realised what was happening and stood up. She regarded Lucas carefully, then went to Matt's side instinctively and placed her hand on his arm softly. 'Let it go' she said softly, sensing it was not smart to challenge Lucas in his domain.

'You gonna yield for the women Harvard?' Lucas mocked quietly, ensuring the children were oblivious to what was happening. 'You already lost to me once and you had much more fire then, you might as well bow out now before you break a nail'

Gail inhaled deeply, closed her eyes and shook her head at the words. She sensed the dark presence ready to defend the Master of the property and sharp bolt of pain surged through her stomach, causing her to grip Lucas' shoulder tight. 'Please' she whispered in his ear, then rested her head on his shoulder in an attempt to disguise her pain.

Lucas was too focused on his game with Matt to notice his wife's pain; however, her whisper pierced through his mind and he looked down at her curiously. It was not often that he heard her plead, never outside of the bedroom and he could never resist obeying when she allowed herself to let go of her stubborn need for control.

Lucas disregarded all others in the room and watched his love for a moment, disregarding his anger at what had happened earlier then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, before turning his attention towards Merlyn. 'Get your things, we're leavin'' he ordered, then headed out of the room with the presence following him.

Matt was furious; however, he had spotted Gail wince in pain and noticed she had hid it from Lucas. His concern for his best friend superseded his anger; therefore, he nodded for M to follow Lucas, placing a reassuring kiss on her lips and went to Gail's side when they were just left with the children. He placed his hand around her waist to assist her and led her towards the kitchen, away from the curious ears of the children. 'I think we need to have a long chat about what you've been hiding' he advised, then carefully situated her on a chair in the kitchen.

* * *

Merlyn sat in the spacious navy blue Crown Victoria, drumming her fingers on the dashboard impatiently. Lucas had decided to stop at the Elementary School first and left her in the car, she had been waiting over 30 minutes for him to return and now she spotted him talking to Selena Coombs at the entrance.

Merlyn did not understand why women fell all over themselves when Lucas was around, she could appreciate his good looks and southern charm; however, the man was evil and he did not even try hard to hide that fact. She watched as Selena smiled and teased by trailing her finger over the opening of her white blouse, Lucas smiled charmingly back at her but did not give her any indication that he was interested in what she had to offer.

Lucas sensed Merlyn watching him closely and smiled to himself, he cut the conversation with Selena short and returned to the girl who had obeyed his orders to stay in the car. 'I wish all your family followed orders as well as you do' he said when he re-entered his car.

'If you didn't disrespect people all the time, maybe they would' she replied, then stared out of the window as he started the engine and pulled away from the School.

'You don't think I respect your cousin?' he asked curiously, enjoying some light honest conversation.

Merlyn let out a small laugh, then shook her head and sighed. 'You think orderin' her around in front of her friend is respectful?' she asked, unsure where he was going with this.

Lucas laughed and ran his hand though his hair in frustration. 'You know nothin' about what I put up with behind closed doors, all you see is one side of the story' he advised, then turned onto the long main road which headed to the Town centre.

Merlyn thought for a moment, then turned towards him. 'So what's the full story? What could possibly excuse your behaviour earlier?' she asked in disbelief of him clearly believing that he was the victim.

'She tried to kill me...twice' he said bluntly, then glanced towards her to observe her reaction.

Merlyn laughed for a moment, then saw the truth in his eyes and regarded him seriously. 'Why?' she asked, suddenly worried about her cousin.

Lucas shook his head and shrugged. 'Maybe your Doctor Romeo will be able to shed some light on the situation' he advised, then let out a long sigh and turned his attention back to the road.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Caleb stared up at the clear blue sky and shook his head in disbelief, there was no evidence of the strong storm from the previous day apart from his broken arm and the sun was shining high in the sky. He glanced around his surroundings and smiled at Rose, who was sat beside him gazing into the river. The good thing that had come out of his accident was that they got to ditch School together and go fishing.

'Stop starin', I ain't got three heads' Rose snapped, in a mock scolding manner. She was also happy that they had been allowed to skip School today, she had been very worried about her friend and appreciated his cousin allowing her to tag along with them.

'I ain't starin' at you, I'm admirin' the scenery' Caleb retorted.

'Since when?' Gail mocked knowingly, then laughed when Caleb shot her an embarrassed look.

'He seems to be getting on nicely, despite his injury' Matt noted and smiled when the children started throwing grass at each other.

'He didn't stop when his family died, can you see a sore arm keeping him down?' Gail asked, then smiled proudly at Caleb's strength.

Matt watched her closely, not liking the pale quality her skin had and shook his head at his inability to spot her gaunt appearance previously. 'How long have you been unwell?' he asked knowingly, opening a bottle of water and handing it to her.

Gail took a sip of the drink and watched as the waves flowed calmly in the river. 'I'm not unwell, I'm just tired. Apparently I've been a bit restless of late' she said bluntly, not wanting to talk about this.

'Ok, I'll rephrase the question. How long have to been experiencing pain in your abdomen?' he asked loudly, so Caleb could hear.

Caleb turned towards Gail and shot her a concerned look, then turned his attention back towards Rose when she waved off Matt's words and smiled at him reassuringly.

'You do that again and you'll be experiencing pain' Gail warned quietly and pulled Luke closer to her when he attempted to crawl off the picnic blanket.

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'If you're going to act like a child, I'll treat you like one. Answer the question Gail' he ordered, taking Luke into his arms and placing him gently on his knee, then began to bounce him up and down playfully.

Gail regarded Matt with irritation, then smiled at Luke's laughter and turned her attention back to the river. 'On and off for about two months, I'm under a lot of pressure and stress with Goat Town if you haven't noticed' she shrugged.

'And your behaviour? What was Lucas referring to?' Matt asked concerned, lifting Luke onto his shoulders and standing up carefully.

Gail glanced at Caleb to ensure he was not listening, then stood up and dusted off her short dress. 'He's overreacting, it's nothing' she lied.

'Gail?' Matt asked sternly, sensing her avoidance of the subject.

'Fine' she sighed in exasperation and turned towards him, 'I possibly tried to hurt him a few times is all'

'Hurt him how?' Matt asked confused.

Gail dusted her hands off, then looked into the river in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. 'I might have tried to smother him in his sleep, strangled him in an intimate moment and nearly attacked him with a knife last night' she said quietly and closed her eyes when the seriousness of the actions hit her.

Matt stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then began laughing hysterically. 'You're telling me that you've attempted to murder your husband three times and neither of you think there's an issue with your union?'

Gail shot him a look of warning and pulled him further away from Caleb. 'Keep your damn voice down! There's nothing wrong with our union, I'm just having cases of temporary insanity. It'll pass' she shrugged and took Luke off Matt's shoulder when he reached for her.

Matt watched as she spun her son around happily and shook his head, her family would be perfect if it was not for the man of the house. 'What are you going to do if it doesn't pass Gail?' Matt asked, concerned for his friend.

'Pray' she shrugged calmly, then began walking into the water with Luke.

* * *

Lucas paced slowly around the large office where he had taken his wife on so many occasions and smiled to himself. He was not a fan of Reporters and their misplaced integrity, they were all of the opinion that they were doing the greater good; however, their views were no different than the general public and it amused him to know how corrupt most of them were.

Right now, he was waiting for Merlyn to finish her meeting with Gail's Editor. His love had left Merlyn to fend for herself, in the hopes that it would teach the girl to stand up for herself and Merlyn was doing well on her own for the moment; however, he sensed Gail's friend Christie circling and was not ready to leave the family ghost just yet, especially when he had unexpectedly enjoyed their conversations earlier.

'It's a shame for this fine office to go to waste while your wife is busying herself with other more social projects, I wonder how long it'll take me to kick out the Prom Queen and take it?' Christie asked sarcastically, as she entered the room uninvited and sat behind Gail's desk.

Lucas regarded her casually, amused at her belief that she had any power in his Town. 'You think my wife would allow you to stomp out her apprentice?' he asked pleasantly, not allowing his usual irritation of her to take hold.

'I know Gail's never been one to settle anywhere for too long, this office and her lack of presence here indicates her true desire not to be tied down' Christie smirked, as she leaned forward in the chair and ran her hands over the large desk admiringly.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'I know exactly what Gail wants and I can assure you that she's very satisfied'

'Oh but for how long?' Christie asked, amused at his attempt to remain calm. 'You can only keep a bird caged for so long before it's desire to fly away and be free is overwhelming'

Lucas inhaled deeply and approached the desk slowly. 'My wife has everythin' she needs, she's not trapped and she chose this life here with me' he advised, keeping his anger under control.

'And how's that working out for you?' Christie asked knowingly, aware from Gail's moods of late that there was some trouble brewing.

Before Lucas could answer, Merlyn entered the office and shot Christie a disapproving look. 'You wanna get out of my office?' she asked abruptly.

Christie laughed at the girls misplaced confidence and stood up slowly. 'Gail's office, but I'm sure you'll keep the seat warm for her return' she stated cattily, then left them both.

Merlyn sensed Lucas' irritation and turned towards him. 'You good?' she asked, not wanting to get involved in whatever was going on with him and Christie.

'I'm good' Lucas sighed, then took her arm and led her out of the office.

'Where are we goin'?' she asked confused; however, did not fight him.

'To find you a story so you can shut her up once and for all' Lucas advised and headed towards the elevators.

* * *

Gail sat on the hospital bed and stared around the room unimpressed. She had agreed to allow Caleb and Rose to fish on their own for a few hours at Matt's suggestion, to enable him to do a routine check up on Luke; however, when she got to the hospital Matt had tricked her into allowing him to examine her and now she was sat in the room where Judith Temple committed suicide, wondering what wrongs she had done in her past life to warrant her current state of affairs.

A presence brushed past her and Gail let out an involuntary shiver. She had loved her Aunt Judy once; however, her union with Lucas had caused her to find out some truths about her fallen family and she was not as accepting of them or their behaviour as she once had been.

Gail felt the soft touch of fingers on her back, as though something or someone was trying to get her attention and closed her eyes. She knew that nobody was in here with her and the presence which surrounded her was beginning to cause her agitation. As if reading her thoughts, the presence made continuous circles around her and caused the magazine Matt had left her to fall on the floor, due to the fast wind which suddenly emerged. Gail felt her darkness just below her surface, ready to come out if it was required; however, the presence disappeared quickly at the sound of the door handle turning and she let out a long breath.

'There she is' Rita stated happily, as she entered the hospital room holding Luke.

Gail regarded her suspiciously at first, then smiled when she noticed the white uniform she was wearing and shook her head in mock scorn. 'What happened to being a stay at home mom?' she asked pleasantly.

'I got a weddin' and bills to pay for' Rita replied bitterly, then smiled at Luke. 'Fancy my surprise when I spotted this handsome devil on my first day back'

'Matt was supposed to be watching him after he ordered my time out here' Gail sighed, unimpressed that her son had been left.

Rita moved to the bed and sat down beside her, then began bouncing Luke on her knee. 'To be fair, he was securely in his buggy and Matt only popped out for a minute. It just so happens I was walkin' by his office and spotted our little munchkin' she smiled and tried not to show her concern at Gail's pale appearance.

Gail sensed her concern and let out a small laugh. 'I'm fine, I'm just tired. Whatever Matt thinks he doing here is unnecessary'

'I'm sure your husband would disagree, considering your homicidal urges of late' Matt chided, as he entered the room and shot Rita an unimpressed look for taking the baby from his office without telling him.

Rita disregarded his look and turned towards Gail. 'What urges would these be prey tell?' she asked sarcastically, then her smile faded when she saw caught the serious look on Matt's face.

'It's nothing Lucas can't handle and you hate the guy anyway, so why do you care what I do?' Gail disregarded Rita's presence and snapped at him, not liking being copped up in this hospital room especially when she had began to sense the presence in the room again.

Matt shot Rita a look of warning to remain silent and knelt down in front of his friend. 'I'm worried...you're married to a sociopath, it won't take him long to disregard his fondness of you and show his true colours if you keep pushing him in certain ways' he warned, as he took Gail's hand in his and stared deep into her eyes.

Gail held his gaze for a moment, ready to defend his definition of her husband; however, she saw his genuine concern clearly and just let out a long sigh. 'Whatever you think Lucas is capable of, you're wrong' she lied, in an attempt to reassure him and get him off of her case.

Matt laughed and shook his head in frustration, Gail was still as stubborn as when he had first met her and her blatant disregard for her own safety was insane.

'Insane would be publicly accusing our beloved Sheriff of being a sociopath and insinuating that his wife could be in danger' Gail scolded, unable to hide her irritation at his thoughts and behaviour.

Matt glanced towards Rita, who was lovely but could not keep her mouth shut and acknowledged Gail's comment. 'I don't mean to insinuate anything like that' he apologised falsely, in an attempt to hide his true feelings from Rita.

Rita watched the pair closely and sensed it was time for her to leave them alone. 'I'll take Luke and give you a chance to talk freely with your Doctor' she advised, then turned towards the door.

'Do me a favour and fetch these for me please' Matt asked and handed her a piece of paper from his pocket.

Rita read the apparatus he required, then narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

'Be discreet won't you Nurse?' Matt said knowingly, then smiled when she nodded her acknowledgement of the sensitive matter and left him with his friend.

* * *

Merlyn sat on the hood of Lucas' car eating an ice cream and observing the large barn in front of her. She had decided to stick with Lucas on his patrol, curious as to why he was so accepting of her company and had allowed him to bring her here while they ate lunch, enjoying the warm calm weather. This property was an old farm, not far from where she had grown up and she vaguely remembered the old couple who had owned it.

'They're all gone now Missy, all that's left is their son who clearly has no idea on the upkeep of a place like this' Lucas sighed and bit into his ice cream cone.

Merlyn continued to survey the barn, shaking her head at the weather worn wood and large holes around the building. 'Why would he just leave it like this?' she asked, not really requiring an answer but in disbelief at how a person could waste such a large thing.

'People are greedy and impatient' Lucas shrugged and stared up at the barn, 'If somethin' ain't rakin' in the money instantly, people get bored easily'

'Do you?' Merlyn asked curiously, genuinely enjoying their candid conversation.

'Get bored easily?' Lucas turned towards her and regarded her suspiciously, then smiled at her innocence. 'You of all people should know how patient I can be when it comes to entertainin' myself'

Merlyn stared into his deep green eyes and found herself getting lost for a moment, then remembered where she was and gave herself a mental shake. 'I know what you are' she advised, reminding herself of who she was with.

'Yes you do' Lucas acknowledged unconcerned, then devoured the remainder of his ice cream and hopped off the hood of the car.

Merlyn watched closely as he walked towards the barn, disregarding the sticky melted ice cream that was trailing down her hand. She had a horrible feeling something was going on that she was not aware of and she suddenly became aware of Lucas' apparent kindness towards her. 'What are we doin' here? she asked suspiciously, finally coming to her senses.

Lucas smiled at the change in her and sensed the fire inside of her. Gail had that same strong fire within her; however, her appetite was much more veracious and it always called out to him, even now. 'I'm frustrated and bored Merly Ann' he said calmly and thought of Gail standing over him with the sharp knife she had earlier.

Merlyn regarded Lucas cautiously, she did not like his sudden change and began to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. 'We'll get outta here then and go do somethin'' she suggested, aware that she had allowed herself to be alone in a secluded area with the man who had murdered her previously.

'You think I'd harm you?' Lucas asked, sensing her unease.

'You already did, or have you forgotten breakin' my neck?' she snapped, unable to hide her judgement.

Lucas let out a long laugh and shook his head, not taking his eyes off of the barn. 'And here I was thinkin' we'd let the past go, in place of your better life with Harvard' he mocked, amused that she was still bothered by such trivial things that had no bearing on her life now.

Merlyn inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm her emotions, then let out a long breath and smiled pleasantly. 'We've let the past go but it holds a little relevance when you're askin' what I believe you're capable of, don't you think Sheriff?' she stated sweetly, trying a different tactic with him.

Lucas turned around and closed the distance between them 'That was all before my family grew, I wouldn't do anythin' to upset the order of things at this moment in time and you're part of that family now M' he reassured her, regarding her by her new name.

'Then what are we doin' here Lucas?' Merlyn asked, standing tall as she knew better than to show weakness around him.

'Havin' some fun and gettin' you your story' he advised devilishly, then smiled when he heard the loud screams of Carl Baker and the look of shock on Merlyn's face when the man fell off of the roof and landed in a crumpled mess two feet away from her.

* * *

Merlyn sat in the hospital waiting room staring at her hands nervously, her mind kept returning to the impact of the man hitting in ground and the sound of the mans neck cracking played over and over again in her head. The sound made her feel nauseous and she just wanted to escape from this place, away from the awful thing she had just witnessed.

'Well before you run away like a frightened child, maybe you should note the incident down considerin' you were the only Reporter on the scene at the time' Lucas suggested smugly from over her shoulder, then backed up when she stood up and turned towards her angrily.

'You did this' she accused, disregarding the disapproving looks of the Nurses and not caring who could hear her.

'I didn't do a thing Missy, you were an eye witness to a terrible tragedy and I was stood right beside you the whole time' Lucas said quietly, then took a step forward and placed his hands gently on her shoulder. To all the Nurses around them this would appear as an act of kindness from their caring Sheriff; however, he was confident that Merlyn knew what the gesture really was and her lack of control amused him.

Merlyn stared defiantly into his eyes, but knew better than to struggle free of his grasp. All that would do was make her look unreasonable while her beloved Sheriff was appearing to try and reassure her. 'What did that man do to you?' she asked knowingly.

'He voted against me in the last election' Lucas advised truthfully.

'Where there many who voted against you?' she asked bluntly.

'Enough to keep me entertained while my love is workin' on her demons' Lucas smiled devilishly, then gently cupped her chin in his hand and stroked her cheek.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and tried to remain still. 'You're a bastard' she said calmly as she stared deep into his eyes and did not allow him to cause a public reaction from her.

'Careful now Missy, or someone will have to wash out that filthy mouth of yours' he warned teasingly and pulled her face closer to his dominantly, then released her.

Merlyn shook her head in disdain and stormed off down the corridor.

'At least you got your story' he called after her amused at her reaction, then turned towards the Nurses Station and shot the women a charming wink.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Merlyn sat in the large office that she had to good fortune of occupying in the Trinity Guardian building and rested her head on the desk in front of her. She was disappointed with herself for trusting Lucas earlier and had chosen to come back to work, as she was unable to get the vision of the incident she had witnessed out of her head.

Life was difficult for her, she was juggling a serious relationship in addition to an important career and she was fully aware of the high expectations of her family. Merlyn had genuinely thought that Lucas had changed, or at least softened some since his marriage to Gail and the birth of Luke; however, she had proven herself to be naive and he had once again fooled her.

'Oh don't be so dramatic' Lucas smirked, sitting casually on the couch in the middle of the office.

Merlyn lifted her head and cursed herself for not sensing his intrusive presence sooner. 'Get out' she ordered in a calm tone, trying to hide her anger.

Lucas sensed the hostility beneath her surface and his smile grew wider. 'Now why would I do that when I appear to be your muse?' he asked and nodded towards the computer on the desk.

Merlyn narrowed her eyes at him irritated, then noticed her fingers were typing on the keyboard and she let out a small gasp when she glanced at the monitor in front of her. She did not know when it had started or how she had been unaware of it; however, she had typed close to 500 words on the incident that had taken place earlier.

'See, no foolin' here Missy, I've just made you productive' Lucas laughed.

Merlyn regained control of her body and pulled her fingers away from the keyboard, then stood up abruptly. 'This ain't me' she snapped, concerned at his ability to control her so easily.

'Oh but it is' Lucas advised, standing up and approaching her slowly. 'I'm certainly no writer and I couldn't string together what you have'

Merlyn read the last sentence she had written and shook her head confused, she did not know what game he was playing or how he did this; however, she wanted no part of it.

Lucas let out a long sigh and perched on the desk next to where she stood. 'Darlin', you really need to get some self confidence. You want that ol' cousin of yours regrettin' her decision to put her reputation on the line to vouch for you?...Look at me' he ordered sternly, taking her chin in his hand gently.

Merlyn felt a wave of emotion flood through her as she stared deep into his eyes. She knew Gail had put her professional reputation on the line by taking her on as an apprentice and giving her so much control here, Merlyn really did not want to let her down.

'So don't look a gift horse in the mouth and accept what you witnessed, I guarantee you that Gail wouldn't throw away an opportunity like this' Lucas advised, then smiled cunningly when Merlyn sat back down obediently and continued typing.

* * *

Gail sat in the cold archive area of the public Library, with her head in her hands. After her long visit to the hospital and her last conversation with Matt, she had been walking around in a haze.

She had chosen to bring the children here after picking them up from fishing, knowing she would be able to be alone. Caleb and Rose were watching Luke in the main area of the Library, Gail had ordered them to find some educational reading material due to missing out on School and she had escaped to this unmanned section of the Library. She welcomed the silence and was grateful for the opportunity to think, her visit with Matt had not made things better and her emotions were all over the place.

Gail lifted her head up slowly and placed her hands on her mouth for a moment, then glanced down at the large book on the table in front of her. The History Of Trinity was written on the front cover in large gold letters and she laughed at the good condition of the book, indicating that the Town's residents were not very interested in reading up on their history.

She pulled the large book towards her and turned to a random page towards the back, she spotted an old picture of Lucas' father Malcolm shaking hands with a Reverend and rolled her eyes at Malcolm's false smile. She could see the judgement in his eyes, even within the old picture and wondered what happened to the other man after the picture had been taken. Was he living out the rest of his days in some peaceful abode? Or had something terrible befallen the man for some non important act he committed against Malcolm?

Gail disregarded her questions and turned to a page closer to the front of the book, where her eyes rested on a black and white picture of a farmer in a field. Behind the farmer stood the Trinity River and a couple could just about be seen in the distance standing at the riverbank. Gail ran her fingers over the couple gently and knew it was her past self Rosemary with her Master Buck of that time. She remembered from her visions and the portrait she had found when wandering around her home that she shared with Lucas, Rosemary was her image and the Buck of that time in this old picture had a striking resemblance to Lucas.

She let out a small laugh and shook her head at the connection, wondering if she ever stood a chance at preventing the way her life had turned out. The picture spoke louder than a thousand words and her feelings of being trapped began to resurface, making her want to scream.

'Now what is my beautiful wife doin' cooped up in a dark place like this when she should be out showin' herself off in the warm weather?' Lucas asked sarcastically, as he leaned against the staircase that lead to the main area of the Library.

'Avoiding sharp instruments that may hurt her husband' Gail mocked sweetly, closing the book before he could see what she was reviewing and returned it to it's rightful place.

Lucas watched her closely, curious as to what she could be researching down here and walked towards her. 'I'm more than capable of defendin' myself against whatever crazy attack is imminent' he reassured her and brushed past her to get to the book she had been so engrossed, which distracted her from sensing his presence.

Gail took hold of his arm and led him towards the table, then placed his hands beneath her skirt instinctively. 'And here I was thinking that I was the only thing that could hold your attention' she said in mock scorn, after having to cup his chin in her hand and turn him to face her, to stop him from looking at the book she had returned.

Lucas gazed deep into her eyes and smiled at her apparent playful mood. 'Oh but you are Mrs Buck' he whispered seductively and nipped at her lips teasingly.

Gail pushed down her unease and allowed herself to relax, he would know instantly if there was something wrong with her so she chose to put everything out of her mind and focus solely on him. 'You uprooted me from my routine today' she scolded, then let out a quiet moan when he ran his fingers up her thigh and tangled them in her thong.

'And you abandoned the children while you disappeared off with Harvard' Lucas stated knowingly, unimpressed that she had left his eldest son at the riverbank.

Gail ran her hands up his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt slowly. 'You insinuated you wanted me to get checked out, so I did' she advised, then placed her hand underneath his shirt and tugged playfully at his chest hair.

Lucas inhaled deeply as she dug her nails into his chest and teased her sweet spot with his fingers. 'And what did the check up find?' he asked curiously, then let out a low moan when her hand trailed between his legs and she squeezed his manhood hard.

'Nothing for you to be concerned about Master Buck' she reassured him sweetly, then unzipped his pants and released his manhood in an attempt to distract him from the subject.

Lucas pulled down her panties, then lifted her up onto the table and parted her legs slowly. 'You aren't lying to me are you love?' he asked seriously, sensing some unease buried deep within her.

'Never soulmate' she stated calmly with her features remaining unchanged and pulled him closer to her.

Lucas searched her eyes for a lie; however, there was nothing to indicate she was not telling the truth and he thrust his hard manhood inside of her, savouring the feeling of her closing in around him. He let out a loud moan, then began moving in and out of her slowly, not willing to rush his fun.

Gail let out a low moan when he entered her and smiled at her ability to distract him. She was not ready to get into what she had found out with him and was happy just to have him inside of her, before everything became complicated.

Lucas sensed her willingness to give herself over to him and kissed her passionately, she did not attempt to convince him to speed up his movements and he smiled at her desire for him. He bit down on her neck when a bolt of pleasure surged through him and continued to take her slowly, enjoying every moment of being inside of her.

Gail felt like she was going to explode, the intense pleasure she felt with every thrust was immense and she did not want him to stop. She moved her hands to his back and clawed her nails down, showing how much she wanted him. Her Adonis never failed to please her in this regard and his strong desire for her only made the act more satisfying.

Lucas could not remain controlled for much longer and sped up his movements, he kissed and nipped at her neck with his teeth while pushing his manhood as far as it could go inside of her. When he sensed their climax rising, he kissed her passionately and cupped her chin in his hand to enable him to stare deep into her eyes. There was something different with her, he spotted it clearly in this moment of pure union; however, she clearly did not want to talk about it and he would trust her judgement for now.

Gail gazed deep into his eyes and tangled her hands in his thick caramel blond hair, she willed him to let it all go and smiled when he continued to watch her, accepting the pleasure he was giving her. Their climax hit intensely and she pulled him to her chest to stifle his call, then bit her lip to control her volume. When he exploded within her, she lay back on the table with his head resting on her chest and breathed heavily.

Lucas listened to her accelerated heart beat, satisfied that there could not be anything seriously wrong with her and pulled out of her gently when they both caught their breath. 'I'll take the next shift with the children and give you some time to yourself' he advised, then kissed her nose gently and made himself presentable as he headed back up the stairs.

Gail lay on the table for a moment and watched him leave, then ran her fingers through her hair and let out a long relieved breath, sensing he had respected her desire to be left alone.

* * *

Matt turned the key to Gail's old place of residence and threw down his coat untidily on the stairs. It had been a long day and his mind was plagued with a mixture of thoughts, due to the tests he had carried out on his friend; therefore, he had chosen to spend the night here rather than at M's, as he could not stomach having to pretend that everything was alright.

He picked up the letters that had been posted through the letterbox and glanced around the property slowly, as he made his way to the main living room area. He supposed he should stop referring to this property as Gail's old place of residence and finally call it his, as there was no hope in her returning after the news of today.

Matt did not know how life had gotten so complicated, all he had ever wanted to do was help people after his family had died in the car horrific accident. He had been managing to do that just fine, until Caleb and Gail came into his life and he took on the responsibility of trying to protect them from the sociopath they called Sheriff.

'Fine job you did of that friend' Lucas said amused, as he entered from the kitchen and placed two glasses of whiskey on the coffee table, before sitting comfortably on Gail's large armchair.

Matt inhaled deeply at the intrusion and stared down at Lucas with hatred in his eyes. 'You're trespassing on my property Sheriff' Matt stated coldly and attempted to keep his composure.

'I'm visitin' the property my wife still rent's, which I bought from the owner two years ago without her knowin'' Lucas advised nonchalantly and gestured for Matt to sit down on the couch, before pushing a glass of whiskey towards him.

'You know I don't drink' Matt snapped as he sat down, unimpressed at the possibility he was living in a place that this man owned and stared at the drink invitingly.

'You ever wonder whether that's why you're so sour all the time Harvard? It's a shame really, that little piece of yours is lookin' to experience life to the fullest and she can't even have a blow out in case it offends you' Lucas smirked, then sat back comfortably in the chair and downed his glass of whiskey.

Matt stared at him with disdain for a moment, then picked up the glass in front of him and downed the drink. He closed his eyes as the burning sensation of the liquid travelled down his throat, then shook his head and shot Lucas a challenging look.

'Now that's outta the way, let's talk about the object of our mutual adoration' Lucas smiled devilishly, then pulled out a bottle of whiskey from behind his back and poured them both another glass.

Matt watched the man he despised pour him another drink and laughed in disbelief at his acceptance of his presence. 'You think I'm stupid to continue on with this charade and allow myself to throw aside my oath as a medical professional? You must really be desperate Buck'

'Look who found his backbone' Lucas regarded him curiously for a moment, amused at the man's believe that he could withstand his influence. If Lucas truly wanted Matt to break, it would not take much effort these days as the man had allowed too many people into his heart. The man's only saving grace was that one of those people was his love and Lucas respected her enough to give the man a reprise from his usual permanent punishments, at least for the time being anyway.

Matt shook his head at the comment, then subconsciously picked up the glass of whiskey and took a long sip. When he realised what he had done, he stared at Lucas suspiciously. 'You think your wife will appreciate you destroying my sobriety?' he asked casually, then took another sip when he felt the liquid calming him.

Lucas watched him carefully and smiled. 'I think a man should make his own choices rather than fallin' back on a woman for protection from the big bad wolf' he smirked and downed his drink.

Matt pushed his glass towards Lucas, he had already given up his self control; therefore, he might as well stop trying to maintain his usual pure image. He had no doubt that his disappointment in himself would be immense tomorrow morning, but tomorrow seemed so far away.

Lucas smiled at his present company respectfully, it was not often that a man welcomed his demons so gracefully and no matter how much of a pain in his ass Matt was, he had a certain respect for the man. 'You know, we've had our differences you and I...' he started.

'And usually you'd attempt to use this type of weakness to damn a man like me' Matt interrupted knowingly and tapped on his glass, waiting impatiently for Lucas to refill it.

Lucas laughed at the comment and nodded his acknowledgement to the truth. 'I've no desire to do that to you now Doc, I'm just concerned about my wife' he advised truthfully and took a large sip of his drink.

Matt lifted his glass in a toast motion and nodded, understanding first hand what that feeling was like. 'You sure you aren't just concerned about your own safety? Being smothered in your sleep by someone you hold dear can do that to a person' he joked, then stood up and paced the room slowly.

'A man's mortality is important, but I'm sure you understand the consequences of such intended acts against me' Lucas warned, knowing at some point he would not be able to hold back his urges if his wife truly threatened him.

Matt considered the comment for a moment, then shook his head. 'So much for the sanctity of marriage, didn't you swear to love and honour your bride no matter what? I'm sure she keeps up her end of the bargain' he said bitterly.

Lucas laughed, stood up and stretched. 'My love puts up with a lot, I'll give her that...but when a man's life is threatened, certain animal instincts come into play'

'And you want me to give you a reason to dispel those instincts, or justify their existence?' Matt asked calmly, feeling his hatred for the man before him resurface.

Lucas walked towards him and stared deep into his eyes. 'I want you to tell me what's wrong with my wife so I can fix it' he said honestly.

Matt held his stare for a moment, then closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. 'There's no fixing this Lucas, you need to go talk to her...but not tonight' he sighed and downed the remainder of his drink.

'Not tonight?' Lucas asked confused.

'Tonight she needs to be alone and I don't want her being arrested for murder before she can get a handle on the situation' he advised and held up his empty glass expectantly. 'Fill her up'

Lucas regarded Matt suspiciously for a moment, he did want to go home to Gail to hash this out once and for all; however, he was intrigued by Matt's sudden willingness to let go and decided to trust the man for a change. 'Why not?' Lucas shrugged, then smiled devilishly and refilled both of their glasses.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail sat at the small table in the large kitchen, staring into her mug of coffee blankly. After leaving the hospital yesterday, she had been wandering around in a haze and had taken to bed early in the evening. When she awoke in an empty bed at 7:30am, she had panicked believing her urges of late had caused her to do something terrible to her husband; however, she found a note on her bedside table from Lucas, confirming that he was alright and had decided to have an unexpected night out with the boys.

The thought of Lucas staying out all night did not sit well with Gail and it had not improved her mood. She trusted that her husband was loyal and devoted to her, a fact which was proven every day with how much he craved her; however, women could be brutal and she had no doubt that some small Town hussy would try to make a name for herself by offering herself to the beloved Lucas Buck. The thought of some woman or girl hitting on her husband while she was at home with the children caused her anger to flare up and made her nauseous. Gail took a deep breath to calm her emotions and continued to stare into her mug of coffee, not allowing herself to lose control.

Caleb approached his cousin cautiously, sensing there was something wrong and placed the Trinity Guardian newspaper beside her drink. He had noticed the lack of presence from his father last night and hoped that they had not fallen out again. 'Mornin' cous', can I get some toast?' he asked pleasantly, not wanting to bring attention to whatever was going on.

Gail let out a long sigh, then turned her attention towards Caleb and forced a smile. 'You can have whatever you want, would you like some bacon and eggs to go with it?' she asked sweetly and headed to the refrigerator without waiting for his response.

Caleb sensed that she was attempting to distract herself from something and nodded appreciatively. If she wanted to take care of him, he would not stop her and he appreciated everything she did for him. 'Thanks for smoothin' things over with Rose's mom, I thought she was gonna get in trouble for sure for stayin' out' he said and glanced at the newspaper he had set down on the table.

'I smoothed things over so you wouldn't get in trouble with Rose's mom, and you're welcome' she smiled, knowing his friends mother did not approve of him.

'I didn't do nothin' for her to be mad at me for' Caleb stated defensively and took a sip of the glass of milk Gail brought him.

'You had that girl out on a dangerous night' Gail advised disapprovingly, sitting back down at the table while she waited for the frying pan to heat up. 'You like her don't you?' she asked and placing her hand on his arm reassuringly.

Caleb stared up at her confused for a moment, then glanced down at his hands. 'She's alright I guess, she's a good rider' he shrugged nervously.

'A good rider?' Gail asked in disbelief and could not contain her laughter. 'She's a very pretty girl and she follows you around something terrible'

Caleb tried to remain cool, then laughed with his cousin. 'I guess I like lookin' at her' he said honestly and smiled when Gail stroked his cheek tenderly.

'As long as looking is all you're doing, then we won't have a problem' Gail warned in a sweet tone, then ruffled his hair and went to check on the frying pan.

* * *

Lucas awoke in a strangely familiar bedroom that was not his own and held his pounding head carefully, waiting for his vision to become clear. The last sensible thing that he remembered was returning home to find his love asleep peacefully and leaving her a note of his whereabouts, to endure she did not worry.

It appeared that Harvard could hold his liquor nearly as well as he could and when Billy joined the mix, they had all competed to see who could drink the most. In hindsight, that was not his best idea considering he was due on duty today; however, it had been good to have a glimpse into Matt Crowers hidden abilities and the man had let slip that he had found something which may be causing his loves strange behaviour.

A loud pounding on the door caused a bolt of pain to surge through his head and he inhaled deeply, in an attempt to control his twin from bursting out and punishing the guilty party. When his vision finally cleared he recognised the tower room of Loris Holt's Boarding House, where Caleb used to reside and let out a long sigh. The door opened abruptly, confirming the guilty party to be Loris Holt and he shot her an irritated look.

'Afternoon Sheriff, did my bed fare you well? That's somethin' I never thought I'd be saying in this lifetime' she said disapprovingly and threw him his clothes that she had cleaned.

'Afternoon?' Lucas asked confused, then shot her a charming smile when he sensed her irritation with his presence.

'You boys rocked up in the early hours of the mornin', although I didn't realise you were part of the group' Loris sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

'Would you have refused me entry if you had realised?' he asked curiously, then threw off the covers and began dressing, not caring that she was in the room.

'I wouldn't refuse anyone who could pay' Loris stated, staring at him with disdain and was thankful that he was still in his underpants. There was no trust between them and she never understood how smart people such as Gail and Billy could be fooled by him.

Lucas let out a small laugh and started to button up his shirt. 'We go way back don't we Loris?' he asked calmly, sensing her thoughts.

Loris inhaled deeply to hide her frustration with his presence and nodded slowly.

'You know more than most, yet you lack a certain understanding of the will of people' he advised, smoothing down his long hair and watching her carefully.

'And what understanding would that be?' she asked curiously, unimpressed by this superior behaviour.

Lucas closed the distance between them and stared down at her dominantly. 'The smart people know who I am and accept what I have to offer, it's the stupid ones that choose to denounce me' he said firmly.

'And what happens when you inevitably betray the smart ones? Take Gail for instance, you think a smart grounded girl like that will accept your true nature forever? Or will she grow tired of turnin' the other cheek, knowin' part of her soul is stripped away each time she accepts your so called offers?' Loris asked, amused at his smug look disappearing at the mention of his wife.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes, wanting nothing more than to grab her throat in his hand and squeeze the life out of her; however, he regained his composure and smiled charmingly at her. 'It looks like I was wrong, which isn't somethin' I'm used to' he stated and held his dominant stance over her.

'About Gail?' Loris smirked, believing she had bested him.

'About your intelligence' Lucas advised and leaned in closer to her. 'My relationship with my wife is open and honest, just like the one with my eldest son. If you truly believe she hasn't fully embraced who I am by now and accepted what that means, you're even stupider than the waitress who tried to seduce me last night...No wonder Harvard left you here alone without a second thought, you lack the basic common sense required to keep a persons attention for more than 5 minutes' he said coldly, then smiled devilishly when she shot him a furious look and walked out of the room when she had no comeback for him.

* * *

Matt sat in his office wearing a pair of sunglasses, to block out the harsh light in the room. He could not believe that he had been tempted to throw away his sobriety for Lucas Buck and cursed himself for actually enjoying the night he had spent out with him.

'There you are, glad some of your duties don't get ignored for Lucas Buck' Merlyn said sarcastically, when she entered the office and saw the state of her boyfriend. She had been up for most of the night worried about where he was and now that she had the chance to visit him on her lunch break, she could not believe her eyes.

Matt heard her scolding undertone and waved it off. 'You're seriously judging me when you used the man to get a front page article? That's rich' he snapped, not in the mood for her judgement.

Merlyn's eyes grew wide at the accusation and she shook her head in disbelief. 'You spend all night out with a man you hate, but somehow turn this around on me?' she asked confused.

'Hate's a strong a word...the man's morals or lack of have bothered me in the past, but why should they now when my best friend is besotted with him and even the girl I love is using him to better her career?' Matt said irritated and projected his disappointment with himself onto her.

Merlyn stared at him for a moment and held back her tears, she did not understand why his words had wounded her so much; however, she felt a deep sorrow come over her.

'Smooth way to tell her that you love her for the first time' Gail scolded in a calm tone, as she entered the office. She was at the hospital to visit Rita; however, she had sensed her cousin's sadness instantly and came protectively to her side.

Matt took his sunglasses off slowly and looked up at Gail defiantly. 'You're gonna lecture me about my conduct in a relationship?' he asked in disbelief, feeling his anger rise at the sight of her.

Gail sensed his feelings towards her and knew it was due to the test results, Rita had informed her of what she had already suspected and she could not stand the look of betrayal on her best friend. 'You threw away your sobriety for me? I'm not worth it, but I hope my husband at least corrupted you with style' she said in a sardonic tone and disregarded his comment.

'Must be nice up in your ivory tower' Matt laughed bitterly, as he stood up carefully and threw a large sealed envelope onto his desk. 'And while you're up there, you might as well ponder on that' he signalled towards the envelope, then stormed out of the room and left them alone.

Merlyn held back her tears and watched Matt leave, then instinctively reached for the envelope; however, Gail snatched it away from her grasp. 'What's in there?' she asked curiously, confused by the whole situation.

'Nothing that I want you caught up in...You need to learn to control your emotions, no man's worth the sorrow you're putting on yourself right now' Gail advised as she wiped a stray tear off of her cheek, then linked her arm in Merlyn's and led her out of the office.

* * *

Lucas sat on the hood of his car in the Elementary School parking lot, drinking a bottle of water. The pounding in his head had finally started to subside; therefore, he decided that it was about time he checked in on his family.

'Bit late for that' Caleb said flatly, reading his mind as he walked casually past him.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at his eldest son, then shook off his irritation at not realising his guard was down and jumped off the car. 'Is there any need for that kind of hostility when I've come here to give you a ride?' he asked, feigning hurt.

Caleb stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his father. 'I could've done with a ride earlier this mornin'' he scolded, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance at having to bother Gail earlier for a lift.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head, it appeared his son had been spending too much time with the woman of the house and was beginning to turn to her side. 'You know what? I think I've been neglectin' you...How 'bout we head to a quiet part of the river and get in some fishin'?' he smiled, then stared at the boy confused when he did not show any excitement at the offer.

'Gail already took me fishin' yesterday and I was gonna meet up with Rose' Caleb shrugged, then turned to walk away.

Lucas closed his eyes and pictured the gargoyle statue in his garden in it's still form, then opened his eyes and smiled when Caleb appeared frozen. 'Gail ain't your father and that little blonde piece ain't your family...Get in the car son' he ordered, then released his hold on the boy and watched triumphantly when Caleb begrudgingly did as he had commanded.

* * *

Gail stood staring at the river, allowing the calm current to soothe her. After the incident in Matt's office, Merlyn had been upset and although Gail needed some time alone to consider her options, she had not wanted to leave her cousin; therefore, she had brought her along with her.

Merlyn had questioned her regarding Matt's behaviour, Gail knew his loss of control was down to her and she should never have allowed him to get involved; however, her cousin's curiosity was the last thing she needed right now, therefore, she had tasked her with writing an article for her lifetime column in an attempt to distract her.

Gail felt a cool breeze travel over her bare arms and gave off an involuntary shiver, it was colder here by the river; however, this was the only place she truly felt at peace and she required time alone to figure out what she was going to do.

'Uh Gail?' Merlyn called nervously, from the quiet spot away from the river which she had chosen to occupy.

Gail glanced over her shoulder disapprovingly at the interruption, then let out a long sigh when she spotted what Merlyn was trying to warn her of.

'Well this is an unexpected pleasure' Lucas smiled and feigned surprise, as he approached the pair with Caleb in tow; however, when he saw his love turn away from him and sensed her unease, his smile faded.

Gail closed her eyes and disregarded her husbands intrusion, then let out a long breath and continued to watch the current.

Lucas had expected his love to be annoyed at his decision to stay out all night; however, he sensed her unease was not down to his actions and surveyed the area. 'Where's Luke?' he asked Merlyn concerned.

Merlyn stood up from her seated position and dusted off her jeans. 'Well he ain't with my drunken boyfriend' she said sarcastically, unable to hide her annoyance at Lucas; however, when she saw the stern look of warning in his eyes, she took a step back. 'He's with Abe' she advised, regarding him cautiously.

Lucas nodded slowly, then placed his hand on Caleb's chest firmly when the boy started to walk towards his cousin. 'Why don't you two find a secluded spot further down the river where the bass are undisturbed?' he suggested calmly.

Merlyn sensed the order in his undertone and took Caleb's hand in hers. 'Come on, you ain't taken me fishin' in ages and we've got loads to catch up on' she forced a smile and led her brother away, not wanting him to get caught up in whatever this was.

Gail let out a small laugh at her husbands ability to control every situation, then shook her head and kicked off her shoes before wading into the river, not allowing him to control her.

Lucas watched as she stepped into the cold water with no hesitation and created more distance between them. He moved closer to the water, then spotted a small figure watching them at the other side of the river and felt a sudden alarm surge through him. 'Gail?' he called concerned; however, she did not acknowledge him.

Gail disregarded her husband and continued to wade deeper into the river, letting out a satisfied moan as the ice cold water brushed against her legs. Her short dress blew in the wind, then stuck to her legs as the fabric became soaked in the water and she smiled at the cold sensation on her skin.

Lucas watched as she continued deeper into the river and the water rose to her waist, he released his twin in an attempt to pull her back; however, her guard was too strong and he could not break it. Lucas let out an exasperated breath and stared at the small figure across the river cautiously. When his vision finally focused and he spotted the short brown pigtails in the young girls hair, he let out a small laugh and shook his head in exasperation. 'The things I do for my people' he sighed, then kicked off his shoes and stepped into the river.

Gail felt invigorated, the feeling of the water flowing over her skin was exquisite and no matter how cold the water was, it did not cause her concern. This is where she belonged, right here in the river where she was free. A flashback of Rosemary being drowned not far from this position surged through her brain and she found herself wondering whether leaving the world engulfed in this pure water was so bad.

'Gail!' Lucas called sternly, when he sensed the riverbed drop not far from her position and let out a relieved breath when she stopped.

Gail halted for a moment at the concerned call, then took another step forward.

'Hear my voice love, this stops now and you come back to me' he said quietly, allowing his voice to travel the distance between them and did not take his eyes off the figure on the other side of the river, which was still monitoring them.

His words pierced through her mind and she tried to fight her emotions; however, his hold on her ran deep and she stopped again, then let out an irritated sigh. 'Why can't you just leave me be?' she shouted, then turned around and saw he had closed the distance between them.

'Because you're mine and you don't get outta this that easy' he smiled smugly, sensing her guard waiver and reached for her arm.

Gail allowed him to pull her to him and shook her head as a tear trailed down her cheek. 'Just let me go, there's no good end for me with what's to come' she said defeated and closed her eyes when he softly wiped away the tear on her cheek.

Lucas regarded her cautiously, sensing her emotions were heightened and tried to find the best way to deal with this craziness. 'What are you talkin' about? Everythin's fine and if you think I'm mad about the the knife the other night...' he started to reassure her.

'I'm pregnant' she interrupted, taking his hand and placing it on her stomach under the water.

Lucas stared at her blankly for a moment, confusion flooding through his brain, then stroked her stomach tenderly. 'That's what all this is about?' he asked in disbelief, then let out a small relieved laugh.

Gail backed a few steps away from him, then felt the sudden drop in the riverbed and stopped. 'It's a girl Lucas...what do your male family do to girls?' she asked accusingly, feeling concern for her unborn child at the lack of female Buck's in his bloodline.

Lucas' jaw dropped open slowly, unsure of what to make of all of this; however, he regained his composure, remembering where they were and reached for her again. 'Whatever this is we'll deal with it...come one Gail, do you really think I'm gonna do anythin' to our baby?' he asked feigning innocence.

Gail was not fooled by his attempt to reason with her; however, she suddenly felt herself being pushed back to the riverbank and when she turned around, she saw the look of anger in Lucas' eyes just before he was dragged beneath the water. Gail screamed his name and reached for him, then spotted the small figure on the other side of the river. She stared at it confused, frozen on the spot for a moment, then regained her senses and released her darkness instinctively.

Lucas was taken back to his initial dream when he felt a strong hand grip his ankle. He attempted to release his twin; however, the pressure of the water was suffocating him and he wanted to laugh at the situation he had found himself in, when he had clearly ignored the previous warnings.

As the air began to fade in his lungs and he sank deeper into the river, he contemplated what he had accomplished so far. He supposed he had done enough with his life in bringing two airs into the fold, to warrant this tragedy not being so bad. If this was to be his end at least he had lived his life to the fullest and was leaving a strong legacy behind him. Although, that legacy now included a girl, which was curious in itself.

Lucas decided that he was not ready to leave his position in Trinity just yet and the thought of his demise caused his rage to rise. Before he had a chance to summon his twin again, he felt the grip on his ankle release and he swan quickly to the surface, taking in a large breath when he saw the pale blue sky above him.

Lucas searched the riverbank for Gail, concerned for his love and let out a sigh of relief when he spotted her. He sensed her rage and followed her eyes to the opposite side of the riverbank, catching sight of Rosemary standing where the small figure had been. He smiled at the realisation that his love had assisted him; however, his smile faded when the small figure came from behind Rosemary and held her hand.

Lucas turned back towards Gail, who just shook her head in frustration and walked in the direction Merlyn had gone with Caleb, then he began laughing. If this is what happened when his baby girl was still in the womb, then he did not stand a chance.

-The End-


End file.
